Abdominal belt



May 27, 1941. J. CIARLELLI ABDOMINAL BELT Filed Jan; 3, 1940 INVENTOR Jmseph Ciarlelli.

ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC ABDOMINAL BELT Joseph Ciarlelli, Waterbury, Conn. Application January 3, 1940, Serial No. 312,209

1 Claim.

This invention relates to abdominal supports, and more particularly to a belt adapted for supporting the abdomen after operations, such as an appendectomy, and also for the relief and treatment of hernia.

One object of this invention is to providean improved form of hernia belt of the above nature which may be readily adjusted for size and securely held in position.

Another object is to provide a hernia belt of the above nature having improved means to prevent it from twisting out of adjusted position upon the body of the wearer.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved belt of the above nature which will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, compact, readily applied, and very eflicient, comfortable, and durable in use.

With these and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, there has been illustrated in the accompanying draw-.

ing one form in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved belt embodying the principles of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the truss on a somewhat reduced scale, with the parts thereof flattened out to show the relative arrangement and structure thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the belt, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the belt, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts through out the several views, the numeral I denotes an inner strap, preferably made from an elongated strip of thin soft leather having a smooth inner non-irritating surface, and a rough exterior surface. The strap II] has its ends II and I 2 widened to form a pair of relatively wide upper flaps I3 and I4, and a pair of relatively narrow depending portions I5 and I 5 respectively. The upper flaps I3 and I 4 are each provided with a row of spaced holes I! and I8 respectively, extending longitudinally thereof, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

A second reinforcing strip of thin soft leather I 9, which is rough on its inner surface and made somewhat narrower and shorter than the strap I0, is superimposed upon and secured to the outer surface of said strap I 0, the rough surfaces of said strip l9 and strap I0 being located in abutment. Preferably, the strip I9 extends from substantially the middle of one widened end II of the strap 10 to the middle of the other widened end 12 thereof. Provision is also made of a number of vertical loops 20, 2|, 22, 23, preferably also of leather, which are secured at their ends to the edges of the strap I0 and the strip I9, and extend across the smooth outer surface of the latter. A pair of shorter vertical loops 24 and 25 are secured at their ends to the edges of the strip I 9 adjacent its ends and extend across the same. At the extreme end of the strip I9 is an additional vertical loop 29 for a purpose to be described later.

A supplemental lower horizontal strap 21, spaced downwardly from and somewhat narrower than the strap I9, is suspended therefrom by a short narrow vertical central strip 28, and a pair of vertical wider elongated strips 29 and 39 which depend below the strap 21. The strips 29 and 39 are preferably of sufiicient length to pass behind and under the crotch of the wearer of the belt, and then upwardly at the front of the user. The strips 28, 29 and 39 are stitched to the upper and lower edges of the strap I9 and the strip I9, where they overlie them.

In order to adjustably hold the strap in position, provision is made of a pair of lacers 3| and 32, looped at their middle portions through apertures 33, 34 and 35, and having tipped ends 36 and 31 which are adapted to be inserted through the desired holes I! and I8, as shown in Fig. 1. The lacers 36 and 3! are adapted to be passed around the crotch, and then through apertures in the ends I3 and I4 in the flaps I3 and I4, after which the extremities may be tied together.

An outer belt 38, preferably of canvas fabric and having a tongue buckle 39 at one of its ends, is adapted to be threaded through the loops 25, 24, and 20, under the strip 29, through the loop 2|, under the strip 28, through the loop 22, under the strip 30, and through the loops 23 and 25 the buckle 39 lying to the left of the loop 26 and the free end 40 of the belt lying at the right of the loop 25, as viewed in Fig. 2. The canvas belt 38 is designed to be freely and loosely superimposed upon the outer or smooth surface of the strip l9, and by inserting the free end 40 through the buckle 39, it may be tightened as much as desired to properly secure the belt upon and about the body of the user.

Operation In use, whenever it is desired to apply the improved belt of this invention, it will be first wrapped about the waist of the wearer, with the strap H! on the inside. The canvas belt 38 will then be fastened by means of the buckle 39, and the end flaps I3 and Id of the strap ID will be folded downwardly over the same, as shown in Fig. 1, The vertical strips 29 and 30 will then be drawn forwardly under and through the crotch, and the lacers 3| and 32 brought forwardly and upwardly so that their tipped ends 38 and 3'! may be threaded through the desired holes Hand l8. The lacers 3| and 3 2 will then be tied together to firmly fasten the strips 29 and 30 in place and thus position the strap ID on the users body.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

In an abdominal belt adapted to be opened at the front, a main strap adapted to encircle the waist of a wearer and having integral widened end flaps extending upwardly and downwardly from said main strap, a reinforcing strip narrower than said main strap and secured thereto out side thereof, a narrow loose belt slidably superimposed upon the outer surface of said reinforcing strip, a buckle secured to one end of said belt for attachment to the other end thereof, and

means permanently connected to the mid portion of said main strap and adapted to be passed through the crotch of the wearer and to be detachably and adjustably connected to the front portions of the widened flaps of said main strap, when said flaps have been folded outwardly and downwardly to cover said buckle and the end of said loose belt.

JOSEPH CIARLELLI. 

